Rajasthan’s public health engineering department (PHED) is mulling to install solar panels on top of the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal (RGLC) and other large reservoirs across the state.
Rajesh Yadav, the department principal secretary, said discussions are being held to install solar panels on the 190-km long Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal in Jodhpur region and other large reservoirs across the state.
“This will not only save electricity at the pumping stations but help in producing additional energy,” Yadav said.
He said energy can be produced on a large scale by setting up a 110-megawatt solar plant in the RGLC region.
“A letter will be sent to NTPC to study the feasibility of the project (installation of solar panel) at RLGC or at other big raw water reservoirs,” said Yadav.
NTPC is a public sector undertaking engaged in generation of electricity and allied activities.
A senior official of the department said that around 140 such pumping stations have been identified in the state where solar plant of 75-kilo watt capacities is expected to be installed.
He said a similar project is being undertaken on the Narmada canal in Gujarat.
RGLC is a composite carrier system with eight intermediate pumpings at different stages. The system draws water from the Indira Gandhi Main Canal (IGMC).
Various drinking water schemes are sanctioned and have been executed with source as RGLC and are connected and sanctioned at different points on RGLC.
Jodhpur city is at its tail end.
PHED will use a mobile application for time-bound monitoring of each of the phases of drinking water projects in the state.
A special mobile app has been developed for this, through which photographs will be captured with geo-tagging on each stage of the projects.
In addition, the department has also developed an app GIMS or Government Instant Messaging System for messaging officials up to the level of executive engineers and junior chemist.
This will be used as an alternate to WhatsApp for the exchange of internal information, the official said.
